Apparatus for the change-over of the functional assignment of dually utilized keys



NOV. 19, 1968 N ET AL 3,412,204

APPARATUS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER OF THE FUNCTIONAL ASSIGNMENT OF DUALLY UTILIZED KEYS Filed Aug. 26, 1.964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig- I Fig. 2

U Tn Sn Fig.3 r 2 Tn 1 Sn Fig 0 u Gn T1 Si UQ Fig 5 62 G4 I T5 I 55 Nov. 19, 1968 HENNK; ET AL APPARATUS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER OF THE FUNCTIONAL ASSIGNMENT OF DUALLY UTILIZED KEYS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 19, 1968 HENMG E'IV'AL 3,412,204

- APPARATUS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER OF THE FUNCTIONAL ASSIGNMENT OF DUALLY UTILIZED KEYS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 NOV. 19, 1968 HENNlG ET AL 3,412,204

- APPARATUS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER OF THE FUNCTIONAL ASSIGNMENT 0F DUALLY UTILIZED KEYS Filed Aug. 26, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet c Fig.10

United States Patent APPARATUS FOR THE CHANGE-OVER OF THE FUNCTIONAL ASSIGNMENT OF DUALLY UTI- LIZED KEYS Fritz Hennig, Munich-Solln, and Erwin 'Schmid, Munich- Pasing, Germany, assignors to Siemens Aktiengesellscli'aft, a corporation of Germany Filed Aug. 26, 1964, Ser. No. 392,249 Claims priority, applicatiggggrmany, Aug. 27, 1963,

9 9 Claims. (Cl. 178-17) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for effecting the change-over of the functional assignment of dually utilized keys in typewriters with binary-coded information transmission from the sending portion such as a keyboard, to the receiving portion, such as a function-executing element teleprinter machines, data processing machines and the like, in which the two transmission code combinations, settable by such a respective dually utilized key over selecting members deviate from one another in any desired code steps, wherein a single shift key arranged in the keyboard field is operable to convert a binary-coded combination which is settable by a key, through pole reversal of the code combination steps which deviate in the respect shift positions, from the one into the other coded combination which is settable through such key, and further selecting members, which are set by the operation of such key, and by means of which the code steps to be reversed in polarity of the two code combinations settable by such key are predetermined, and in which the setting may be effected by a series of switches or by cooperable mechanical elements.

The invention relates to an apparatus for the changeover of dually utilized keys from one function to a second function in teleprinter machines, data-processing machines, typewriters with binary-coded information transmission from the sending part (keyboard) to the receiving part (function-executing element), and the like, in which each of such doubly occupied keys differ from one another by any desired code steps in transmission code combinations settable over selecting members. For example, for a new telegraphic code there is the requirement among others, that the operation of the keyboard largely agree with that of a typewriter. The German typewriter keyboard according to national standardization has 46 keys which carry type, while the English and the American typewriter has 45 such keys. The keyboard for machines operating with a new telegraphic code, should, so far as possible, contain no more keys, or not appreciably more keys, the arrangement of which in the keyboard should essentially correspond to the familiar distributions. As in the typewriter, therefore, the keys must, in part, be dually utilized, with the shifting to the typelcharacters lying above on the key head being accomplished by the simultaneous pressing of a shift key.

According to an ISO proposal for a new seven element code, the individual code combinations can be so distributed on the keys that the code combinations which in each case are settable by a key differ exclusively in a code combination step, namely, in the case of shifting from digits to special symbols in the fifth code combination step and in the case of shifting from letters to functions in the seventh code combination step.

In one known teleprinter machine the problem of shifting on the one hand the fifth and on the other hand the seventh code combination step is solved by the method 3,412,204 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 that, for the shifting from digits to special symbols, the usual shift key, in known familiar typewriters, is used and for the shifting from letters to functions another key, additionally arranged on the keyboard, must be pressed. This known solution has several drawbacks. The keyboard is enlarged by an additional shift key, which, in the cited case, can be operated only with the left hand, since it is arranged on the left-hand side of the keyboard. The simultaneous striking of a letter key, therefore, must in many cases be executed with the right hand, instead of, as is usual, with the left hand. Moreover, upon a mixing up in the operation of the shift keys a wrong symbol is transmitted.

The problem of the invention is to develop a process for the shifting of the functional assignment of dually utilized keys by pole reversal of individual steps of the code combinations by means of only a single shift key.

This is achieved according to the invention by an arrangement in which a shift key arranged in the keyboard field converts the one binary-coded combination which is settable by a selected key, by pole reversal of the code steps thereof, into the other binary-coded combination which is likewise settable through such key, in which process the code step to be pole-reversed of the two code combinations settable by the key are predetermined by further selecting members which are set in the operation of this key. The operable effect of the shift key, accordingly, is there made dependent on which key group the struck type key belongs.

According to a special embodiment of the invention,

this is achieved through a switching arrangement in which the keyboard contacts, operable by the individual keys of the keyboard over code combination selecting bars for the appertaining code combination steps which are reversed in polarity, are arranged in series with the group contacts settable by additional group combination selecting bars and with a shift-over contact operable by the shift key. By group combination selecting bars and group contacts are meant such selecting bars and such contacts as, in each case, are set by a group of keys of the key board. Principally, to each keyboard contact whose allocated code combination step is reversed in polarity, a group contact is connected in series. According to another switching arrangement embodymg the invention, to each group of keyboard contacts whose appertaining code combination steps are reversed in polarity a group contact is connected in series.

Especially in the case of mechanically controlled singlecontact transmitters, it is not possible to reverse the polarity of the code combination steps by electrical means. In these transmitters the pole reversal of the particular code combination steps is achieved by the method that in the range of the step lever allocated to a code combination step to be reversed in polarity, in addition to a setting lever operable over a combination selecting bar, a blocking lever is provided which is settable in dependence upon position of the particular group selecting bar which is simultaneously set with the code combination bars of the pressed key, and is swing-able by the shift key into the path of the step lever.

According to a further development of the invention, in a keyboard with keys divisible into two groups in the range of the two step levers allocated each to one code combination step to be reversed in polarity, in addition to two setting levers each operable over a code combination selecting bar, in each case one of two blocking levers both of which, in dependence on the position of a group selecting bar, alternately and in dependence on the position of the shift key are swingable into the path of the step lever allocated to them. In this arrangement one of two group selecting bars is omitted.

According to a further preferred development of the invention a pole reversal of code combination steps is made possible with mechanical means by an arrangement such that in the range of a setting lever operable over a code combination bar, cooperating with the step lever allocated to the one code combination step to be reversed in polarity, displacing members operable by the group selecting bar and the shift key are arranged to so act on the setting lever that the manner of operation of the setting arm or setting arms cooperating with the step lever is reversible by displacement of the setting lever over actuation members.

Details of the invention will appear from the examples of execution described in the following and illustrated in the drawings wherein: 4

FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrate electrical switching arrangements for the pole reversal of a code combination step;

FIG. 4 illustrates an electrical switching arrangement for the simultaneous pole reversal of several code combination steps;

FIG. illustrates a combination switching arrangement with several groups of pole reversals of code combination steps; and

FIGS. 6 to illustrate the use of mechanical structures for code combination step shifts.

FIG. 1 illustrates an electrical switching arrangement in which a pole reversal of a code combination step to be transmitted is possible, both from current step to nocurrent step and also from no-current step to current step. A keyboard contact Tn, constructed as a double contact, which is shiftable by a key in the keyboard field over a corresponding code combination selecting bar, is connected in series with a transmitting or sending contact Sn. From the one contact point of the keyboard contact Tn, current can be conducted to one of the contacts of a group contact Gn, constructed as an alternating contact, which is likewise operable by the pressed key over a group selecting bar, and to one of the two contacts of a changeover contact U likewise constructed as an alternating contact, operable by a shift key. From the other contact point of the keyboard contact Tn, current can be conducted to the second contact point of the group contact Gn. From the group contact Gn, a conductor extends to the second contact point of the changeover contact U.

The group contact Gn and the change-over contact U are illustrated in FIG. 1 in rest position. The keyboard contact Tn is so arranged that on operation of the sending contact Sn a no-current step is transmitted. Now if a current step is to be transmitted, although the keyboard contact Tn is in the position which permits only a nocurrent step, then both the group contact Gn and the change-over contact U must be operated. If only one of these two contacts is shifted over, then no pole reversal takes place of the code combination step determined by the keyboard contact. If, through the keyboard contact Tn, a current step is determined, then, for the pole reversal of the same, the operation both of the group contact and also of the change-over contact is likewise necessary. 7

FIG. 2 illustrates a switching arrangement according to which a pole reversal of a code combination step is possible only from current step to no-current step. In this switching arrangement the keyboard contact Tn and the group contact Gn are each constructed only as a simple contact. The lower current conduction path disclosed .in'FIG. 1 from the keyboard contact Tn to the group contact Gn is omitted. The change-over contact U is likewise constructed as a simple contact, since nothing is altered in the manner of operation of the switching arrangement if the group contact Gn is directly connected with the output line of the switching arrangement.

FIG. 3 illustrates a switching arrangement by means of which a code combination step, determined by the keyboard contact Tn, can be reversed in polarity only from non-current step to current step. In this arrangement,

the keyboard contact Tn is an alternating contact, and the group contact Gn and the change-over contact U are simple contacts.

FIG. 4 illustrates a switching arrangement by means of which a pole reversal of a code combination step is possible both from no-current to current, and from current to no-current, for two keyboard contacts T1 and T2 which are connected in series with their respective sending contacts S1 and S2, and through a group contact Gn and a change-over contact U. The switching arrangements described with the aid of FIGS. 1 to 4 are illustrative and do not fully represent the invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates an actual switching arrangement embodying the invention, according to which several groups of pole reversals are accomplished at will through a shift key. In this circuit there is assigned to each keyboard contact T3, T4, T5, a group contact G2, G3, G4 according to one of the switching arrangements according to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. On operation of the change-over contact U these code combination steps are reversed in polarity which are conducted over an operated group contact. Code combination steps which are conducted over unoperated group contacts retain their polarity values despite operation of the change-over contact U.

FIG. 6 illustrates an apparatus for the mechanical setting of a code combination step in a monocontact transmitter. Through a code combination selecting bar 1, set in known manner by a key (not illustrated), a setting lever 2 is swingable into the path of an extension 3 of a step lever 4. The step lever 4 is held by a spring 5 against a cam 6, with its free lever end 7 being operable to actuate a contact rocker 8. If the setting lever 2 is swung out of the range of the extension 3 of the step lever 4, the latter, following cam 6, by means of the lever arm 7 actuates the contact rocker 8. If the setting lever 2 is swung into the range of the extension 3 of the step lever 4, the step lever then cannot follow the cam 6 and the contact rocker 8 is not actuated. In a 7-step code, 7 such step levers are present, which in sequence, act on the common contact rocker, controlled by the cam shaft.

Parallel to the setting lever 2 a blocking lever 9 is disposed which cooperates with the extension 3 of the step lever 4. The blocking lever 9 is operatively connected to a group selecting bar 10 by means of a spring 11. Moreover, the blocking lever 9, contrary to the actuating of the spring 11 is biased over an intermediate lever 12 by a spring 13 to a shift key 14. The connecting member 15 between blocking lever 9 and intermediate lever 12 is connected at its one end in an elongated hole 16 in the intermediate lever 12. The two extension springs 11, 13 are so dimensioned that the force of the spring 13 on the blocking lever 9 is greater than the force thereon of the spring 11.

It the group selecting bar 10 is displaced by an operated key from its rest position in the direction indicated by the arrow, the blocking lever 9, in consequence of the force of spring 11, tends to follow it. The blocking lever 9, however, is prevented from so doing through the effect of the force of the spring 13 which acts on it over the intermediate lever 12 and the connecting member 15. If, however, the shift key 14 is operated in opposition to the force of spring 13, the blocking lever 9 then can follow the group selecting bar 10 and swing into the path of the extension 3 of the step lever 4. The contact rocker 8 in this case, therefore, is not operated by the step lever 4 even if the setting lever 2 is swung out of the range of the extension 3 of the step lever 4. The setting lever 2 with the code combination selecting bar 1 and the blocking lever 9 with its operating members are, for the purpose of clarity, represented below one another in the figure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an apparatus for the alternate pole reversal of two code combination steps according to the position of a single group selecting ba-r. Here, in mirror image arrangement to the blocking lever 9, there is arranged a further blocking lever 9, which cooperates with another step lever, and whose swinging into the path of the step lever takes place in approximately the same manner as in the case of the blocking lever. The actual code combination setting members are not illustrated.

A possibility of mechanical pole reversal of code combination steps at will is assured by the apparatus represented in FIGS. 8 and 9 through the fact that the setting lever 2, swingable by the code combination bar 1 is adjustable in elevation by shifting of its pivotal axis 17. FIG- URE 8 illustrates the setting lever 2 with the code combination selecting bar 1 shifted to the right and with the pivot axis disposed in the lower position, while FIGURE 9 illustrates the apparatus, with the pivot axis 17 disposed in its upper position and the code combination selecting bar 1 shifted to the left.

FIG. illustrates a further arrangement for the mechanical pole reversal of code combination steps through that feature that the setting lever 2 has two lever arms which cooperate at will with the step lever 4 upon axial shifting of the selecting lever 2 on its shaft 17.

It will be apparent that in the arrangements of FIGS. 8-10, the reversal of polarity of a setting member may be accomplished by shifting members, disposed in the range of a setting lever cooperating with a stop lever allocated to a code combination step to be reversed in polarity, operable by a group selecting bar and the shift key, so acting on such setting lever that the manner of operation of the setting arm or arms cooperating with the step lever is reversible on the step lever through the shifting of the setting lever over respective actuating members.

By way of example, such shifting members could be constructed in a manner corresponding to the elements 9-16 of FIG. 6 With the setting lever 2 of FIGS. 8 and 9 pivotally carried by the free end of the horizontal arm 9 thereof. In like manner movement of such arm could readily be utilized by one skilled in the art to axially shift the setting lever of FIG. 10.

Changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the appended claims which define what is believed to be new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for effecting the change-over of the functional assignment of dually utilized keys in typewriters with binary-coded information transmission from a sending portion, such as a keyboard, to a receiving portion, such as a function executing element, teleprinter machine or data processing machine, and the like, in which the code combination, settable by a respective dually utilized key over selecting members, may differ from one another in any desired code steps, and in which the change-over is effected by actuation of a single shift key arranged in the keyboard field, the combination of switch means operably connectable to an actuated key over such selecting members for producing either of such code combinations in dependence upon the actuation of said shift key, means controlled by said shift key for effecting a reversal of the polarity of code steps preselected by said selecting members in response to key actuation, and further selecting means which is actuated by the operation of such an actuated key, by means of which the code steps to be reversed in polarity, of the two code combinations settable by such key, are selected.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein keyboard contacts, connected in series with sending contacts, are operable by the individual keys of the keyboard over said code combination selecting members, in which keyboard contacts of the appertaining code combination steps, reversible in polarity, are arranged in series with group contacts settable by additional group combination bars and with a single change-over contact operable by the shift key, said group contacts and group combination selecting bars comprising said further selecting means.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein to each keyboard contact, having an appertaining code combination step which is reversible in polarity, there is assigned a group contact connected in series therewith.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein to each group of keyboard contacts having an appertaining code combination step which is reversible in polarity there is assigned a group contact connected in series therewith.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a step lever is allocated to each step of a code combination and in the range of a step lever allocated to a code combination step to be reversed in polarity, in addition to a setting lever operable over a code combination selecting bar, there is arranged a blocking lever which is movable into the path of such step lever in dependence on the position of a group selecting bar and of the shift key, such group selecting bar comprising said further means for effecting such selection.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in an arrangement in which the keys are subdivided into two groups in reference to the code combination steps to be changed over, wherein a step lever is allocated to each step of a code combination, and in the range of two steps levers allocated to code combination steps to be reversed in polarity, in addition to two setting levers, each operable over a code combination bar, there is arranged respective blocking levers which are respectively movable into the path of the cooperable step lever allocated thereto alternately in dependence on the position of a single group selecting bar and in dependence on the position of the shift key, such group selecting bar comprising said further means for effecting such selection.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a step lever is allocated to each step of :a code combination, and in the range of a setting lever cooperating with a step lever allocated to a code combination step to be reversed in polarity, there are arranged shifting members operable by a group selecting bar and the shift key, so acting on such setting lever that the manner of operation thereof with respect to the step lever is reversible on the step lever through the shifting of the setting lever by actuation of said shifting members, such group selecting bar comprising said further means for etfecting such selection.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said setting lever is supported for pivotal movement, and is shiftable axially to reverse its manner of operation with respect to said step lever.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said setting lever is supported for pivotal movement, the pivotal axis of which is shiftable transversely thereto to reverse the manner of operation of said setting lever with respect to said step lever.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,814,236 7/1931 Wusteney. 1,928,421 9/ 1933 Griffith. 1,988,943 1/1935 Grifiith. Re. 20,330 4/ 1937 Morton. 2,559,637 7/1951 Kirchel.

FOREIGN PATENTS 872,521 4/ 1953 Germany.

THOMAS A. ROBINSON, Primary Examiner. 

